Method of drying corrodible materials



' stantially free from oxides such as iron rust,

Patented Oct. 16, v

UNlTE Df-STATES PATENT ori ce.

AIZBERT :enanson, or wnsrnnn srnme s, rumors, AssienoR 'ro WESTERN "me- 'I'RIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF "NEW YORK, Y -A CORPORATION OF NEW This-invention relates to methods ofdrying corrodible materials and particularly to a method for drying particles of electrolytic iron.

In the productionof electrolytic iron, anodes of impure iron are suspended in a bath containing an iron salt in solution and upon the passage of an electric current, pure elec trolytic iron is deposited in the form of plates upon suitable cathodes. During the passage of the electric current. small shoots some-v what like tendrils and ordinarily called trees grow out from the cathode plates to ward the anodes and tend to short circuit the bath and consequently lower the operating ef -ficiency. To prevent short circuits from developing, the cathodes are raised from the bath at intervals and the trees are removed by scraping and are collected in a suitable con-' tainer.

It is desirable that electrolytic iron be subparticularly when it is to be used in a finely divided form in loading 'coil cores iised for telephone purposes. v Due to the relative smallness of the surfaces of the deposited plates they may be readily dried after being washed to remove the electrolyte without the irony becoming oxidized to any appreciable extent. Due to thesmallness of the articles of iron trees which are scraped em the plates and due to their irregular shapes, a

comparatively large surface of the materialis exposed so that if they are dried'by the usual methods, such as by centrifuging or direct evaporation, the trees become oxidized to such an extentthat they are practically useless and consequently this portion of the electrolytic iron rep-resents wasted energy and material:

It isthe object of the present invention to provide an economical and 'eificient method whereby corrodible materials may be dried without becoming appreciably oxidized or rusted. p

In accordance with the general features of the invention, the 'particles'of iron are placed in a tumbling barrel and are thoroughly ,washed with water to remove theelectrolyte adherin thereto. The wash water is then remove a quantity of a suitable solvent for water such as. denatured alcohol is added, and

YORK. i r

' V METHOD OF DRYING CQRRODIBLE MATERIALS.

No Drawing. 1

Application filed seBamber as; 1926. Serial No. 138,345

the mass is then agitated for a predetermined period of t me whenthe liquid comprising an alcoholic solution of water is withdrawn.

Alcohol is again added to the particles, the

agitation is repeated, and the resulting liquid withdrawn. This operation is repeated until the water originally adhering to the particles is replaced by alcohol, whenthe surplus alcohol is drawn ofi. and'the iron parti-' cles are dried by means of an air blast.

I n practice the following method has given satisfactory results. The scrapings from the cathodes are placed in a tumbling barrel as they are removed from the cathodes and covered with water until a batch of about 250 pounds is obtained. The batch is then tumbled in running water for about fifteen minutes to insure the removal of-the electrolyte, when the waterv is drained I gallons of denaturedalcohol solution is then added by pouring along the sides of the barrel while it is running so as to remove the water clinging to the sides of the barrel. The alcohol solution used in this wash is that used in the last wash on a previous batch.

The barrel is rotated for about two minutes and the alcohol is then drained 013?. About five gallons of ,unused denatured alcohol is then added to the-barrel and the above operation is repeated, the alcohol withdrawn in the second wash being saved for use as the first wash in a succeeding batch, After draining off the alcohol the barrel is again rotated, an air blast is started and the particles are tumbled through the air blast until dried when they are removed and weighed, tested if nec-" essary, and used forthe purpose for which the. original electrolytic iron wasintended; ,It is, of course, to be understood that various changes in the proportions'of materials, times of washing, and numbers of washes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the ap ended claims. Also other nonaqueous, volat1le sol- 1. The method of drying moist particles of a corrodible material, which consists in addthe remaining alcohol from the surface of the iron particles in a current of air.

3. The method of drying moist particles of electrolytic iron, which'consists in adding 5 gallons of alcohol solution to about 250 pounds of iron particles, agitating the mixture, Withdrawing the resulting liquid, adding a 5 gallon portion of alcohol to the particles, agitating the mixture, withdrawing the liquid, and evaporating the remaining alcohol from the surface of the particles in a current of air.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of September A. D.,

ALBERT PEARSON. 

